top of page
Search

fifty prompts for artist’s block 🥳

Updated: Sep 9, 2020

Hi, guys! This week I wanted to talk about something that happens to every artist whether we like it or not: artist’s block. Artist’s block is definitely something that I’ve experienced several times, and while I still think it stinks every time, I’ve learned ways to battle it.


Before I move on though, I would like to say that artist‘s block is something that every artist will go through, and each artist’s way of navigating through these blocks is different. This is just how I manage it. Also, although artist’s block sucks, you shouldn’t let it get to the point where you quit. It’s 100% okay to take breaks, but you should also remember why you make art and the fulfillment art gives you.


The way I tackle artist block sounds pretty counterintuitive as it usually occurs when an artist has no idea what to make, but what I like to do is force myself to make art—whether I want to or not. When I start creating, I have no intention of making the outcome look good; I just let my brain and my hand do whatever feels like should happen. At first, I dread the process, but I find that as I progress, I begin to enjoy it more as fresh ideas flow into my head.


Still, this method doesn’t answer the question, “what should I draw?”, which is why I am here to give you FIFTY prompts for when you are going through artist’s block or just don’t know what to draw. These prompts are meant to be broad so that there is room for interpretation. I find that I get the best results when I pick a general topic in the beginning because I start to get more creative with color, composition, etc. throughout the process.


 

FIFTY PROMPTS/TOPICS FOR ARTIST BLOCK

  1. color schemes - pick a color scheme and use only those colors!

  2. dinosaurs

  3. something from your fridge/pantry

  4. something you wish to happen

  5. a picture from your camera roll

  6. favorite childhood cartoon/movie

  7. album cover/song lyrics

  8. if a song was a person

  9. books/book quotes

  10. a dream you had

  11. pixel art

  12. use a new medium you’ve never used before

  13. draw/paint using only your fingers

  14. collage something

  15. random line/shape - start by drawing random shapes or lines and then see what you can make out of them :)

  16. contour drawings - drawing with only one line

  17. an inside joke

  18. a fictional place/character

  19. something you fear

  20. a human figure study

  21. self-portrait with makeup/hair/fashion that you have never tried/you would like to try

  22. take inspiration from an artist you like - could be style, color, composition, media, techniques

  23. a close-up

  24. a place you’ve been to that you want to go again

  25. a social issue

  26. pastries/aesthetic food

  27. something that’s been getting on your nerves

  28. what artist’s block feels like to you

  29. the inside of something

  30. something you collect

  31. animals with glasses/accessories

  32. a runway/red carpet look

  33. a met gala theme - look up previous met gala theme’s and create something based off of it!

  34. flowers

  35. multiple pictures of the same person

  36. a childhood memory

  37. patterns

  38. something inspired by a period in art history (my favorites are Rococo and Modern Contemporary)

  39. a family portrait - try different styles and compositions (just a few ideas lol: superheroes, medieval, French royalty, Disney)

  40. a texture study

  41. a culture you would like to know more about

  42. random color challenge - get a bag of markers, paints, colored pencils, etc., pick 3-5 colors at random, and only use those!

  43. only use a ball point pen

  44. a compliment

  45. food in a bowl - salad, cereal, noodles, poke, whatever!

  46. repetition

  47. an instrument

  48. organized chaos

  49. something you found on the floor

  50. desktop portrait - arrange elements on your computer desktop to make a composition


 

There are all of the prompts :) If there are any that you guys want to suggest, leave them in the comments below! I would love to hear what you guys have to say. All of these aren’t my ideas, but if you give any a try, tag me!


Anyways, I hope this helps some of you guys if you are stuck, and I’ll see you next time :)

223 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All
Post: Blog2_Post
bottom of page